The Eureka Tower is Melbourne's tallest building and one of Australia's tallest skyscrapers, second only to the Q1 skyscraper in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast. The 92-storey Eureka is 297 metres high. Construction of the skyscraper began in 2002 and was completed 4 years later.
The tower got its name in honour of the Eureka mine, where an uprising took place during the gold rush years in the mid-19th century. Interestingly, the memory of this event is also reflected in the design of the building - it features a golden crown element, symbolising the dashing years of gold mining, and a red stripe, a symbol of spilled blood. The blue glass on the facade and the white stripes are the flag of the rebels.
Generally, in terms of the number of floors - 91 and 1 underground - Eureka was once the world's tallest apartment block. Q1 surpassed it in height only due to its spire. Only two skyscrapers in Dubai are taller than these two "Australians". The underground floor and the first 9 ground floors are occupied by a car park. The remaining floors are given for apartments and penthouses. It's also worth noting that the top 10 floors have 24-carat pure gold glazing.
The entire 88th floor is occupied by the observation deck, which offers panoramic views of Melbourne and the Yarra River - the highest vantage point in the southern hemisphere! There are 30 viewfinders on the observation deck, which can be used to see various city landmarks. There is also the so-called "Edge" - a glass cube protruding 3 metres out of the building at a height of 300 metres. When visitors go inside, the cube starts to move towards the edge of the skyscraper, while its glass remains opaque. As soon as the cube moves out of the building, the glass becomes transparent and visitors who suddenly find themselves at a dizzying height have an unforgettable experience!
